Gwen| Gender | Female |
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| Name day | 6 July |
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| Word/name | from Welsh Gwen, the feminine form of Gwyn ("white, bright, fair, pure, blessed, holy") |
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| Meaning | "white, holy" |
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| Region of origin | Wales |
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| Related names | - Gwenn (Breton);
- Gwenno, Gwenog (medieval diminutives);
- Gwyn (masculine equivalent)
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Gwen is a Welsh feminine given name meaning "white, holy". It can also be a shortened form of Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere) or other names beginning with the same element, such as:
- Gwenhael, Gwenael, Gwenvael, Gwenaelle
- Gwenda (explained as a compound of gwen "white, pure, blessed, holy" + da "good, well")
- Gwendolen, Gwendoline, Gwendolyn
- Gweneira (from gwen "white" + eira "snow")
- Gwenfair (combination of gwen "blessed, holy" + -fair, soft mutation of Mair, "(the Virgin) Mary"
- Winefride (originally Gwenffrewi) (Breton: Gwenvred)
- Gwenfron (from gwen "white" + fron, mutated form of bron "breast"; cf. Bronwen)
- Gwenyth, Gwenith (identical to the Welsh word for "wheat")
- Gwenllian
- Gwennant (compound of gwen "white" + nant "stream, brook")
- Gwenola (modern feminized form of Breton Winwaloe)
Although superficially similar, Gwyneth has a different, albeit uncertain, etymological origin (likely either from Gwynedd or the Welsh gwynaeth, meaning joy, bliss or happiness).[1]